A louvre window commonly comprises a louvre system with a mounting frame, clips and plates, or window panes, adapted for opening and closing overlapping rows of plates. The plates may be made of glass, wood, plastic, metal or other suitable material depending on the desired configuration. For example, translucent glass allows passage of light and transparent glass allows viewing through the plates. Metal plates may provide security when closed.
The plates are each attached to paired clips that are rotatable relative to a vertical mounting frame. The mounting frame supports the clips in an opening in a structure such as a building. One problem with louvre windows is leakage of water from outside to inside of the window during rain. Leakage of water is a particular problem during combined windy and rainy conditions. The location of a leak may be between junction points of each of the above three elements, namely, between the plate and clip and between the clip and mounting frame.
International patent application PCT/AU02/01588 (Breezway Australia Pty Ltd) describes a louvre system comprising a plurality of clips to which plates are attached, wherein each clip comprises a drainage channel for draining water collected between clips. When the clips are in a closed position, the drainage channels of adjacent clips align forming a single drainage channel. Water collected in the drainage channel is drained into a lower part of the louvre frame via the single drainage channel. One potential disadvantage of this system arises because as the number of clips increases, there is a corresponding increase in water volume and pressure within the single drainage channel towards a bottom part thereof. This may result in overflowing or pressurization of the channel and leakage of water into an interior side of a window.
There is a need for a louvre system that is capable of reducing, and preferably preventing, leakage of water from the outside to the inside of a louvre window.